Former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, leads Susie Wiles to the podium at his election night party in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Wednesday. Alex Brandon/Associated Press

WASHINGTON – President-elect Donald Trump has appointed Susie Wiles, the de facto manager of his victorious campaign, as White House chief of staff, the first woman to hold the influential role.

Wiles is widely credited within and outside Trump’s inner circle for running his most disciplined and best-executed campaign yet and is seen as the leading contender for the position. As Trump celebrated his victory early Wednesday morning, he largely avoided the spotlight, even refusing to take the microphone to speak. He has resisted the title of official campaign manager and avoided being a target, given Trump’s history of switching people in that role.

The hiring of Wiles is Trump’s first major decision as president-elect and could be a decisive test for his incoming administration as it must quickly assemble the team that will help run the massive federal government. Wiles doesn’t bring much federal government experience to the job, but he has a close relationship with the president-elect.

In the campaign, Wiles managed to do what few others have been able to do: help control Trump’s impulses — not by scolding him or lecturing him, but by gaining his respect and showing him that it would be better to follow his advice than not. .

Eight years ago, Trump tossed aside the careful planning of his transition team and instead hired a diverse group of campaign aides, family members and Republican insiders who spent much of his first year in office preoccupied with the infighting that dominated news coverage of the new administration. . It was what many experts consider to be a fundamental mistake that caused a president who was new to Washington and the government to falter after being sworn in.

Trump met with four chiefs of staff during his first administration, including one who served in an acting capacity for a year, as part of a record-breaking staffing loss. Many top aides who felt dominated or belittled were fired by Trump in his first term; others were caught up in ideological debates within the factionalized West Wing.

Trump aides see hope that Wiles’ selection is a sign that the incoming president aims to assemble a more cohesive team; but this team is almost certain to remain less traditional than its Democratic or Republican predecessors.

Trump, who vowed in 2016 to hire “only the best people,” has since repeatedly said he believes his biggest mistake in his first term was hiring the wrong people. He said he was new to Washington at the time and didn’t know any better. But Trump said he now knows “the best people” and people to avoid for roles in his administration.

“Susie is resilient, smart, innovative and universally admired and respected. Trump said in a statement that Susie will continue to work tirelessly to Make America Great Again. “It is a well-deserved honor for Susie to become the first female Chief of Staff in the history of the United States. I have no doubt that she will make our country proud,” he said.

Successful chiefs of staff serve as the president’s confidant, helping implement the president’s agenda and balancing competing political and policy priorities. They also act as gatekeepers, helping determine who the president spends his time with and who he talks to; It’s an effort that Trump finds troubling in the White House.

The chief of staff is “absolutely critical to an effective White House,” said Chris Whipple, author of “The Gatekeepers,” a book about how the role of the White House chief of staff shapes and defines a presidency. “At the end of the day, the most important thing is to tell the president what he doesn’t want to hear.”

“On the plus side, he’s shown that he can manage Trump and work with him and sometimes tell him hard truths, and that’s really important,” Whipple said. “On the downside, he doesn’t really have any White House experience and hasn’t really worked in Washington for 40 years. “This is a real disadvantage.”

Wiles is a longtime Florida-based Republican strategist who ran Trump’s campaigns in the state in 2016 and 2020 and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ successful 2018 bid. Before that, he managed Rick Scott’s 2010 campaign for governor of Florida and served a brief term. as manager of former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman’s 2012 presidential campaign.

Wiles also worked in the offices of former Jacksonville mayors John Delaney and John Peyton.

Chris LaCivita, who served as de facto campaign manager with Wiles, described Wiles as someone who engaged in conversations, sought input from others and was staunchly loyal.

“Susie is functionally diverse because she has the rare ability to work on many different important issues at the same time,” LaCivita told The Associated Press.

Wiles was the person tasked with having the toughest debates and every important conversation with Trump. He worked well with his family and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and developed relationships with Elon Musk, making him a key conduit in Trump’s evolving alliances with these men.

“He can really manage any ego that comes his way,” LaCivita said. “And he does it in no other way than being very simple and masterful of the details.”

He added: “The most important values ​​in politics are honesty and loyalty and Susie has both in abundance.”

Wiles was viewed by Trump aides as someone who could channel his moods and impulses without holding him back. Trump frequently referenced Wiles on the campaign trail, publicly praising his leadership of what he was often told was the “best-run campaign.”

“He’s incredible. It’s incredible,” he said at a rally in Milwaukee earlier this month.

Trump gave a swearing and conspiracy-laden speech at the rally in Pennsylvania, where he took the stage for the last time before the election. Wiles was seen standing at the back of the stage and glaring at her.

Later, at a rally in Pittsburgh, Trump appeared to accept efforts by his advisers to get him to message him.

After complaining that men were no longer allowed to call a woman “beautiful,” he asked if he could remove the word from the records. “I’m allowed to do this, aren’t I, Susan Wiles?” he thought.

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